breaking political news overnight. >> a new headache for republicans, as a gop candidate for senate calls rape pregnancy god's will. he's been endorsed by mitt romney, whose campaign fired back overnight. bracing for sandy. the superstorm on the move right now. preparations well under way in the caribbean. on the lookout for a killer shark. an expert surfer is the latest to the killed off the california coast. and quick getaway. brazen thieves getting creative. an epidemic using horsepower to commit their crimes.

good morning, everybody. we begin this wednesday with a presidential race that is just about as close as it can be. the two candidates separated by a mere fraction of a percentage point. >> our new poll comes as president obama and mitt romney blitz the battleground states. and with just 13 days remaining, romney is working to distance himself from another republican's controversial new comments. abc's tahman bradley has the story. >> reporter: the presidential candidates are storming battleground states in a final sprint to election day. the romney campaign, riding a wave of momentum may have hit a bit of a snag, as another republican senate candidate makes a controversial comment about abortion. richard murdoch was asked at a debate in indiana, whether abortion should be allowed in cases of rape or incest. >> i think life begins in conception. i think even if life begins in the horrible situation of rape, that it's something that god in >> reporter: democrats bounced,

quickly launching a web video, painting murdoch as extreme. >> the republican party. >> reporter: and democrats point out that mitt romney is supporting him. >> will you help me elect this guy? >> reporter: the romney campaign wasted little time distancing itself from murdoch, saying governor romney disagrees with richard murdoch's comments. and they do not reflect his views. his remarks along with todd aiken's comments about legitimate rape, are not helpful, as momny tries to get the support of women. >> i'm fired up right now. >> i want you to start voting right now. >> reporter: the race is tight. the daily tracking poll shows romney leading president obama by one percentage point, 49% to 48%. but look at this. without romney up or down, the contest is even closer. the candidates separated by just 0.07 of a point. both campaigns are trying to reach the few voters who are still undecided. and they're not letting up in their travel one bit. two states for mitt romney.

three for president obama. >> have to wonder how the latest abortion comments will play with the critical female vote around the country. that's for sure. tahman bradley, live in washington. thanks, tahman. while the two candidates are in the spotlight, two other people who like their share of attention are making rumblings about unleashing a possible october surprise. donald trump is threatening to reveal what he claims is big news about president obama today. and attorney gloria allred is expected in court in boston to unseal documents that may involve governor mitt romney. >> folks that are media-shy. we turn to breaking news in the middle east. rockets and mortars from gaza have pummeled southern israel this morning. the israelis responded with air strikes that killed a palestinian militant in gaza. the military back and forth was apparently touched off when a militant group wounded an israeli soldier on the gaza border. we'll follow that story throughout the morning. also, we're learning new

details about the time line of the deadly september attack at the u.s. consulate in benghazi. the u.s. state department and the white house were advised that an islamic group was claiming responsibility for the attack about two hours after it was carried out. but intelligenceources say other messages with conflicting information may also have been sent on that day. and they add that early reports from the scene of any attack or disaster are often inaccurate. and a u.s. effort to wipe out al qaeda is nearing a significant milestone. according to "the washington post," the number of militants and civilians killed in drone strikes will soon exceed 3,000. that surpasses the number of people al qaeda killed in the 9/11 attacks. and "the post" says the director of the cia is pushing for an expansion of the current drone fleet. and to the global economy now. and a down day in early traiting overseas. asian markets were lowered after dismal earnings reports from some big-name companies here in

the u.s. those reports sent the dow to its lowest level in nearly seven weeks. here's abc's sharyn alfonsi. >> reporter: that closing bell sounded like the end of a prize fight. but there was no winner. stocks tumbled across the boards after a series of low earnings report from big household names. first, chemicalmaker dupont, reported declining sales across the world. and announced it will cut 1,500 jobs. and xerox reported earnings down, too. 3m scaled down future earnings projections, sending the stock south. add to that, unrest in european debt that has been on the back burner, rearing their ugly head, after moody's downgraded spain's credit rating. the market went into free fall. the average 401(k) dropping $1,300. earning reports and an election could make for a bumpy month for

investors. >> it's not a bad time to assess the risk in your 401(k) and think about being more defensive heading into 2013. >> reporter: if you have the courage to look at your 401(k), you probably notice it took a hit. but remember, the market is up for the year. so, most people's 401(k) is up, on average, about $9,500. that's not too bad. in the next days and weeks ahead, there's going to be more reporting. we're going to be watching for exxon mobil, at&t and boeing. it could be a bumpy ride. sharyn alfonsi, abc news, new york. >> thanks to sharyn. and tropical storm sandy is on its way to becoming a hurricane as it heads for jamaica and cuba this morning. winds from hitting 65 miles per hour. and sandy could dump up to a foot of rain as it comes pass hispanio hispaniola. it will possibly bring rough surf to the east coast. and downpours have hit the streets of kingston, where

jamaicans have been securing their windows and clearing out grocery store shelves. the government is earning residents to take storm warnings seriously, especially those living in flood-prone areas. >> good to see sandy veering out to sea, as opposed to coming in. exactly. time, now, for weather from across the country. light morning showers in the northeast. some severe storms around minneapolis, des moines, omaha, and kansas city. a wintry mix from rapid city to salt lake city. some snow in the cascades. and some showers from seattle to portland. >> 50s in the pacific northwest. mostly 40s in the northern rockies. 70s in the midwest. 80s around dallas, miami and new orleans. and way above normal in the mid-atlantic. and coming up after the break, the first reviews are in. what people who had gotten their hands on the ipad mini are now saying. and bad guys hit the bookstore. barnes & nobel customers have been hit by a big credit card security breach. and later, a day of surfing turns deadly as a shark goes on the attack at a popular beach.

welcome back, everybody. this may come as a surprise to some folks. the u.s. is about to become the world's biggest oil producer, ahead of even saudi arabia. crude production is up for the fourth-straight year. and oil imports may fall by half by the end of the decade. one analyst says north america could become, quote, the new middle east. and if you made a purchase last month as a barnes & nobel store, watch out. the book seller says customer credit card information was stolen at dozens of its stores last month.

hackers gimmicked key pads where customers swipe their cards. barnes & nobel says it waited to tell customers because the fbi asked it to keep quiet about the breach while it investigated. apple has now confirmed its smaller, less expensive tablet con computer. the ipad mini will compete with devices at the lower end of the market like the kindle fire and the google nexus 7. the mini is about two-thirds the size of the regular ipad. >> that makes its easier to hold. it's easy to hold up like this. it's running the same software as the ipad. you don't compromise any features. >> preorders begin friday, with delivery starting a week later. and it's no wonder that so many people are easy targets for hackers. the third-most common password used is counting to eight. the second most common, counting to six.

but the most common password is, password. if yours is one of those, you might want to change it immediately. are you changing yours right now, rob? >> on the break. >> monkey. dragon, jesus, and welcome are popular. >> really? i have a lot of work to do. when we come back, it is flier beware. the airports where you're most likely to get ripped off by tsa agents. and then, the clever crooks who roped in a big haul. making off with not just cash. but the atm that it was in. new pink lemonade 5-hour energy? 5-hour energy supports the avon foundation for womebreast cancer crusade. so i can get the energized feeling i need and support a great cause? i'm sold. pink lemonade 5-hour energy? yeah and a portion of every sale goes to the avon foundation for women breast cancer crusade. i'm sold.

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lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughtor actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. well, the waves are not nearly as impressive as the ones in california. but they're high enough to break out the boards. surfers in minnesota, this is minnesota, they're making the best of the chilly and choppy waters of lake superior.

temperatures hovered in the 40s. but nobody seemed to mind. especially with the body suits on. now, for a look at road conditions. snow and rain make for a slick ride in the cascades and northern rockies. wet highways from seattle to northern california. thunderstorms drench roads in the midwest from minneapolis to kansas city. >> if you're flying, airport delays are possible in salt lake city, minneapolis, and san francisco. and back to the news, now. a popular california beach is closed this morning after a surfer was killed by a shark. >> the shark attack took place at surf beach in lompoc near vandenberg air force base. a friend of the victim, solorio, saw the attack, pulled him on to the beach and tried to administer cpr. the attack has some locals saying they will be staying far away from the ocean. >> too many bad things have been happening here. and the water, it's pretty unpredictable. >> once in a while, you get to see some whales, which is pretty

cool. but, no. there's too many sharks out here, man. that's my opinion. i wouldn't dare go in there. >> medical examiners say they will be looking at the bite marks to help determine the sides and type of the shark. at least one marine expert says the attacker was likely a great white. two teenage brothers are now charged with murdering a 12-year-old neighbor girl in southern new jersey. autumn pasquale's body was discovered in a recycling bin, next to where the suspects lived with their mother. the middle schooler was apparently lured into their house saturday afternoon by the younger boy. and then, strangled. the boy's mother was the one who called police after she read disturbing posts on a facebook page. and here's a heads-up for the next time you fly. for the first time, we know where you're most likely to get your stuff ripped off by the tsa. the tsa has fired almost 400 agency workers accused of stealing from travelers. abc news has learned that we've

obtained the numbers showing the most case of theft at miami's airport, followed by jfk in new york, l.a.x., atlanta and las vegas. >> i'm sure you have to pay a fee to get it back, too. police say two teens were so intent on getting cigarettes and booze, they smashed a stolen truck into the front of this michigan gas and grocery store. one of the suspects was caught on the spot. the other one is still on the loose, though. they got away with only 100 bucks worth of stuff. the store is still closed with a ten-foot hole in the front, as well, as you can imagine, some structural damage, as well. and in california, a guy wearing a halloween mask used his pickup truck to try to steal an atm. you see him tying a rope around a machine in a shell gas station. it's not clear exactly how he got inside the station in the first place to carry off the heist. >> takes all kinds. news about your health this

morning. and the makeup that women wear every day may trigger early menopause. another drawback of makeup. researchers say exposure to certain chemicals in cosmetics, as well as hairspray, can cause a woman to stop having periods 2 1/2 years earlier than normal. and they can go through menopause 15 years too soon. the same chemicals have been linked to cancer, diabetes, and obesity. and how much sleep you're getting or not getting is now being linked to your eating habits. researchers at penn state say those of us who only get four to six hours of sleep at night can have hormonal changes that can affect the appetite. the sleep-deprived are at a greater risk of overeating and consuming less-healthy foods. put the peanuts down, rob. >> the story's true. >> the hormones. >> and everything.

in sports news this morning, it's tigers/giants, getting under way as the world series begins tonight. the hometown team got practice today. the giants hosting the tigers for game one. for the rest of the morning sports news, we turn to our friends at espn news. >> randy scott here with your "sportscenter" update. we're starting with preseason nba action. lebron james, the miami heat, taking on last year's worst team in the league, the charlotte bobcats. kemba walker, that's so outrageous, the turnover. lebron, to terrell harris, finishing off the alley-oop. eight assists for lebron. we're spot-shadowing lbj. this is what happens when you lose track of him. lebron had ten points. and a gentle coach k. hug. let's go to chicago. no kevin durant. no russell westbrook for

oklahoma city. there's no derrick rose. luol deng with the steal early. this is a blind over the deal. mvp, heinrich, a nice, little layup. and james harden, to fill in for the shooter there. no westbrook and no durant. not for a lack of shooting for harden. it doesn't go. the layup, on the trim. and finally, a pump fake, no good. 2 for 17. second half, nate robinson, he's a baller. finds carlos boozer. double-double for boozer. bulls get the win. world series game one tonight in san francisco. espn radio has it at 8:00 eastern. i'm randy scott. have a great day. coming up next, "the pulse." and if you think you've decorated for halloween, this guy that we're going to show you could have you beat. >> classic overachiever. and from the news world. fish just in.

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and go to vesicare.com for a free trial offer. welcome back, everybody. time to check "the pulse," the stories you'll be talking about today. and talk about a star-studded world premiere. the new james bond debut drew royalty to the red carpet. >> prince charles and camilla turned out for "skyfall." as it premiered at the royal albert hall. the movie stars ralph fiennes, javier bardem and judi dench. >> daniel craig. >> i did get it. i love daniel craig. every reporter has had at

least one embarrassing on-air disaster. we have some empathy in this situation. a reporter was doing a story in the takeover of u.s. waters by the asian carp. >> that's when the fish suddenly came back to life and scared the reporter. she fell back on a fisherman. when they got over the shock, they had a good laugh. >> i saw a smile on that face. i don't know if he minded. and for those of you who haven't seen enough variations of "gangnam style," here's one keeping with the season. ♪ hey, sexy lady >> very clever. you're looking at a leesburg, virginia, home, with the bulb s synced up to the hit by psy. >> you can always check it out on youtube.

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updating our top stories now. our new abc news/"washington post" poll finds mitt romney leading president obama by less than one percentage point, neck and neck, with 13 days to go. indiana senate hopeful richard mourdock is under fire for saying that pregnancy from rape is something that god intended. he later said that god didn't intend rape. tropical storm sandy is expected to turn into a hurricane as it nears jamaica this morning. it will dump rain on cuba and the bahamas, before bringing rough surf to the eastern seaboard. today's weather, stormy from minneapolis to kansas city. rain and mountain snow in the pacific northwest. and finally this morning, little miss mozart. the talented whiz kid taking the classical world by storm.

>> she's a miniature maestro that can barely reach the piano pedals. but she's not just playing beautiful music. she's composing it, as well. nick schifrin has more. >> reporter: like so many child prodigies, he playing is perfect. her sound is serene. but before the 7-year-old's feet reach the floor, she's already written this. ♪ an opera, composed for an entire string orchestra, performed by the opera house in great britain. she isn't just reading music, she's writing, as she goes. all improvisation, off the top of her head. how gift is she? well, anna's a year ahead of another prodigy you might recognize. mozart could play and name notes at 3.

alma could do that at 2. mozart was first writing at 5. alma was 4. ♪ now, over the years we've seen some extraordinary children. umi garrett was 8. briana kahane, 7. and pint-sized jonathan okseniuk, performing at just 4. all great performers. but alma is a great composer. and some say she writes with the same quality as mozart when he was the same age. >> i can't think of anybody quite this young. this is really remarkable. she just lives and breathes music. >> reporter: more than 300,000 people have discovered herrion line. this young composer's melodies creating so much happiness and she's only 7.